Having been to the Children Desiring God conference at Oak Hill on 5th April (I had meant to blog my notes but my Palm crashed!) we have started memorising their Fighter Verses starting with the foundation verses. We’ve just learnt No one can serve two masters (Matt 6:24a). Here’s Thomas Watson on why serving God and money doesn’t work, it’s all about the purity of the heart:
A covetous heart is an impure heart. The earth is the most impure element. The purity of the heart lies in the spirituality of it, and what more opposite to spiritualness than earthiness? Covetousness is ‘the root of all evil’ (1 Timothy 6: 10).
(i) Covetousness is the root of discontent.
(ii) Covetousness is the root of theft.
(iii) Covetousness is the root of treason. It made Judas betray Christ.
(iv) Covetousness is the root of murder.
(v) Covetousness is the root of perjury.
(vi) Covetousness is the root of necromancy (connecting with the dead). Why do persons indent with the devil, but for money? They study the black art for yellow gold.
(vii) It is the root of fraud in dealings.
(viii) Covetousness is the root of bribery and injustice.
(ix) It is the cause of uncleanness.
(x) Covetousness is the root of idolatry: ‘Covetousness which is idolatry’ (Colossians 3: 5).
(xi) Covetousness is the cause of unprofitableness under the means [of preaching, reading, praying, the sacraments etc].
(xii) Covetousness is the root of penuriousness and baseness. It hinders hospitality.
